Signal generator



Feb. 28, 1950 R. B. HANER SIGNAL GENERATOR Filed Oct. 9, 1946,

re. r5,

%w ATTORNEY l. 0E h. 2

3 Sn @15 5515 U 3 mmsn 5 553 LwER 6 wm m L 6: emo w wi w z Patented Feb. 28, 1950 .Robert :13. Homer, isc'dttsville, "N "1., assl'gnor 1:0 iGeneral :Railway Signal Gompany, "Rochester,

Application"ctoberf9, 1946,SeridliNof'lOZflN (o1. taste-1:36)

zsGlaims. 1

This invention relates to radio communication systems, and more particularly pertains to a weak signal-generator of the frequency modulated-type i or use in connection with the alignment of ra'di'o receiving apparatus.

In aligning radio receivers, it is desirable to havean associated frequency generator which' w'ill producea-relatively weak signal for test purposes, since the adjustment of a-radio receiver to a r-elatively strong signal will not be proper for :weak signal reception. On the other hand a' radi'oir'eceiver adjusted :for weak signals will alwayszbe capable of receiving stronger signals. For this reason, it is desirable to provide 'a "weak signal generator which may have its output adjustable from somewhat below-one'niicrovolt to one thousand microvolts or more. Itis alsodesirableito provide such frequenc generator or transmitter with a very-accurate base frequency:e'speciallyiii the radio "receiver adjustment-is 'to b'e 'a 'perm'anent-one for reception from a particular station or a group of stations operating on :a fixe'd irequency.

In accordance with the above desiderata, it is proposed-to provide a harmonic generatingcrystal oscillator which'will deliver an output on the iselected harmonic of thecrystal frequency, which output may be modulated :in "accordance with an audio frequency input by 'applying' the audio irequency potentials to the :screen i'grid of a tetro'de tube-employedtfor theiosc'illator. ifllhisimodulated output of the oscillator stageincludesrbothtampliitude modulation and vfrequency modulation, but it :i .;proposed'to amplify theifrequen'cyzmodulatted portion of the output and remove the amplitude variations by employing amplifiers "of athe class lC :type for the multiplier "stages. Since these class 0 radio amplifiers are iSO operated-as :to use theentire output and remove the amplitude variations by emp yin amp fi rs of the class C ype for the multiplierl tagesyit will be apparent that these stages =no1t'only act toiamplify the frequenc modulation present in thie (output of .the oscillator but also'act to-subsantiallty remove or eliminate any amplitude modulation which may be present. With .thesegeneralchanacteristics and purposes of .the present invention in mind, it is believed expedient ;to:consider fur.- ther features in connection with the .dlscussionfof the structural characteristics ofone :embodiment of the present invention.

The single figure of the drawingsrillustrates one embodiment of a weak-signal z-frequency modulated transmitter constructediin z accordance with theipresent invention.

For the purpose of simplifying 'the'='i1lustrati0n and facilitating in the explanation, the various parts and circuits constituting the embodiment of the invention "have 'been shown diagrammatically and certain conventional illustrations have been employed, the drawings having been 'made morewviththe purpose 'of'making' it easy to understand the principles and mode of operation, :then withi-the-ideaof illustratingthe-specific construction and arrangement of parts that would i be employed in practice.

with referenee to the drawing;three electronic tubes'ml, T2 andT-iof the screen grid tetrode type arershown asnconstituting the different stages of the transmit-ter embodying the present invention. *='I'he tube' TJ an'd its associated devices and circuits constitutethe"modulated oscillator stage; the tube T2 with its' a'ssociateddevices-and circuitsv constitute :a *class "-C type amplifier :and multiplier stage; and "the tu'be with -its associated. devices .2.1111 circuits also constitutes a class 0' type #amplifier and multiplier stage with its 'outpu't'connected to s'uitable antenna and ground connections. "These'itubesiTl, T2 and T3 have been indicated *as lbeing :of "the cathode heater type, it being assumed "that the cathode heaters are'controliedi'in'anysuitabl'e'way to continuously maintain thecathodesrof theseitubesat the-proper temperalture' while' the systemlis'in operation.

The "oscillator stage includes a crystal CR, or thelpiezoelectricitype. ill'histcrystal CRL andcathode inductance 3L4 :are adapted rto oscillate :at the *baseaoriundamental "frequencyof the crystal nate at the desired harmonic ;of tthe base frequency.

'The control agrld, :cathdde and screen :grid of the tube Tl Pare :connected ito :provide a grounded anode :triode'etyp'e oscillator under :contiol of the crystal 10R. ":ThBiSCIBGIli grida'cts 5 in .efie'ct as the groundedaanode with radioi frequencies being :by-

passed around the :battery .13 "and resistor R9 ito,

the ground bus GB by "the "condenser CA. The control grid and cathode operate above ground potential with respect to radio :frequencies :by virtue of "the crystal JCR and "the cathode inductancel'Lfl. The plateiof' the'tube'rl (the regular anode of the itetro'de') receives an electron flow fromthe cathode which is coiitrolle'd by the control and screen grids atthe f-requency of the crystail oscillator CR. "This action through the grid contrcl iof'itheitub'e acts to supply the plate tank circuit with energy for its oscillations atthe'harmodicitrequency. 'The plate tank :circuit ci- L I is connected through radio frequency lbypassable neon tube with condenser CI2 and resistor.

R8 is connected across the resistor R9 so that when the switch S is closed in its upper position,

this neon tube acts as a relaxation oscillator to r produce a suitable audio frequency of about one thousand cycles, for example, for modulating the output of the tube Tl by varying the potential drop across the resistor R9. This variation of the potential applied to the screen grid of tube TI acts to produce modulations in the output of tube Ti both of the amplitude type and of the frequency type.

The output of the tube Tl thus modulated is supplied through a coupling condenserCl3 to the control grid of the tube T2; This control grid is connected to the ground b-us GB through resistance R2 which serves as a directcurrent return for the grid of tube T2. The-tank circuit C2L2 of this stage is tuned to a suitable harmonic of the input so that this stage will act as a multiplier, and this tank circuit is supplied with positive energy from. the plate supply B in the usual way with the condenser C8 acting to bypass the battery B with respect to radio frequencies. The screen .grid of tube T2 IS'LSUD- plied with potential through resistor R4 with a suitable radio frequency bypass condenser C! connected to the ground bus GB.

In a similar manner tube T3 is supplied'with the output from the tube T2 through a condenser C14. The control grid of this tube T3 is-connected to the ground bus GB through the resistor R5 to provide a direct current return. The tank circuit C3-L3 for the tube T3 is also tuned to a suitable harmonic of the input to this stage source to multiply the frequency; This tank cir-J cuit C3-L3 is supplied with positive potential from the plate source B in the usual way with a radio frequency bypass condenser CH.

The screen grid of this stage is supplied with potential from source B through resistor RI'with a radio frequency bypass condenser-CAO. -The inductance L3 has a secondary winding which acts as the output coupler for a suitable antenna-' ground connection.

The cathodes of tubes T2 and T3 are respectively connected to theground bus (33 through radio frequency bypass condensers, CB and C9:

The bias for the grids of these tubes are respectively provided by resistors R3 and R6 being 0011-. nected through a .variable resistor RII of. the

potentiometer type connected across the source- B. This potentiometer adjustment controls the output of the amplifier-multiplerstages over a fairly wide range, but inorder to provide greater range of adjustment for the unit as aiwhole; itwill be noted that the output of the oscillatoramplifiers with the plate output being high on the characteristic curve of each such a tube. In other words, increase in the signal amplitude or strength to these stages fails to cause a correspondin increase in their output. In this way, the amplitude modulations or variations in the output of the tube Tl are effectively eliminated Where as the frequency modulation for variations in the output of tube Tl are substantially and effectively amplified to produce a frequency imodulated output for the signal generator as a ,whole.

v Since this signal generator is controlled by a crystal operating at its fundamental fre J 'quency, it will be readily apparent that the center frequency of the frequency modulated output will be very stable. It is, of course, understood that suitable thermostatic temperature control may be provided for the organization to further maintain the stability of its frequency adjustment.

For test purposes it is convenient to have a stable steady tone of an identifiable pitch, and for this reason a suitable relaxation neon tube type oscillator is provided, but it is to be understood that the operation of the switch S to its lower position will provide for modulating the output of the oscillator stage by any other suitable audio input, such as by voice. A conventional coupling for such an audio input has merely been indicated for convenience in the illustration.

In the illustration, a tetrode type electron tube is employed with audio frequency potentials being applied to its screen grid to modulate the output circuit of the tube. This is the preferred form of the present invention, since it gives an optimum amount of frequency modulation for any given amount of audio potential. However, it should be understood that the audio potentials may be applied to the control grid of the tube TI to provide what is known as grid modulation and thereby obtain similar, although less effective, operation of the organization as above described. Also, a triode tube may be employed in place of the tetrode tube Tl in which case the modulating audio potentials may be applied to either its control grid or its plate circuit. This latter form, however, is less desirable than the preferred form since it is more subject to undesired variations due to changes in load conditions.

1 Having described a radio signal generator of the frequency modulated type as one specific embodiment of the present invention, it is desired to be understood that this form is selected to facilitate in the disclosure ,of the invention rather than to limit the number of forms which it may assume; and it is to be further understood that various modifications, adaptations and alterations may be applied to the specific form shown to meet the requirements of practice without in any manner departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

I What I claim is:

1. A signal generator of the character described comprising, a piezoelectric crystal oscillator for generating radio frequency current of stabilized frequency, said oscillator including a thermionic tube having a screen grid, means including a resistor for applying a positive potential to said screen grid, a relaxation oscillator comprising a gas tube and a condenser, charging and discharg-v ing circuits for said condenser, said discharging circuit including said resistor and said gas tube whereby-the outputof said piezoelectric crystal 751 oscillator is frequency and amplitude modulatedby said relaxation oscillator, a plurality of frequency multiplier stages for successively multiplying the output of said piezoelectric crystal oscillator, each of said stages including a thermionic tube having its grid bias governed by a fixed resistor providing the proper bias necessary to cause that stage to operate near the saturation point of that tube, and means including a single potentiometer connected in series with the respective fixed bias resistors for adjustably adding to the negative bias of said frequency multiplier stages above the bias provided by the fixed resistors, whereby the output power of the signal generator is variable within the limits of said potentiometer and whereby the amplitude modulation is substantially eliminated by the frequency multiplier stages, even when said potentiometer is at its minimum negative bias position.

2. In a signal generator for generating a frequency modulated carrier current, a piezoelectric crystal oscillator for generating radio frequency current of stabilized frequency, said oscillator including a thermionic tube having an anode and a screen grid, circuit means including a first resistor for applying positive potential to said screen grid and a second resistor for applying positive potential to said anode, a relaxation oscillator comprising a gas tube and a condenser, respective charging and discharging circuits for said condenser, said discharging circuit including said first resistor and said gas tube, whereby the intermittent firing of said gas tube modulates said piezoelectric crystal oscillator, a plurality of frequency multiplier stages for successively multiplying the modulated frequency current output of said piexoelectric crystal oscillator, each of said stages including a thermionic tube having its grid bias governed by a fixed resistor providing the proper bias necessary to cause that stage to operate near the saturation point of that tube and thereby reduce amplitude modulation of the carrier current to a minimum, means including a single potentiometer connected. in series with the fixed bias resistors of the respective stages for adjustably adding to the negative bias of said frequency multiplier stages above the bias provided by said fixed resistors to thereby govern the power output of the signal generator, and a manually operable switch effective when actuated to increase the potential applied to the anode of the thermionic tube of said piezoelectric crystal oscillator by shunting said second resistor, and thereby in combination with said potentiometer provide a second variable range of power output for said signal generator.

ROBERT B. HANER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,884,945 Willoughby Oct. 25, 1932 1,917,102 Dome July 4, 1933 1,966,065 Gunn -l July 10, 1934 2,054,431 Lindenblad Sept. 15, 1936 2,280,707 Kell Apr. 21, 1942 

